Category: University Governance

The Future of the Liberal Arts

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At its October 18 meeting, Provost Earl Lewis introduced the Council to a new university-wide structured inquiry about to launch: “Are we willing to spend some time looking ahead 25 years from now and asking what a liberal arts education at Emory should look like? What should be the interplay between the liberal arts curriculum at the undergradu- ate level and the professional and graduate schools? What should a liberal arts education contain? What changes do we want to begin to make?” Lewis said a committee would be formed in the coming weeks to spend a year in a systematic and far-reaching examination of these questions, toward “a framework for Emory University going forward, as we imag- ine the liberal arts.” To help begin to shape the discussion, the Council then spent some time in discussion of questions such as, “How large do you envision our student body becoming over the next quarter century?” and, “Are we structured properly to insure the quality we imagine for a first-rate liberal learning experience?”

 

Around Campus: Report from Theology School

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At the October meeting, Chair Erica Brownfield introduced a new practice of asking one council member per meeting to report on discussion topics from his or her school. This month, Timothy Jackson from the Candler School of Theology reported on three con- cerns raised by his colleagues:

  1. The declining condition and overcrowding of campus shuttles;
  2. The paucity of prompt, available appointments in the Emory Healthcare system for Emory employees; and
  3. Concerns that the Blackboard course content management system is outdated and too expensive.

These concerns prompted the following announcements:

  • The entire campus shuttle fleet will be replaced in 2012.
  • •Blackboard, which is reviewed in comparison to other content management systems regularly, will undergo a massive upgrade very soon.
  • Brownfield offered to invite Doug Morris, director of the Emory Clinic, to speak to the Faculty Council.

 

Standing Committees Report on 11-12 Plans

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During the October meeting, the Faculty Council heard from each of its standing commit- tees on plans for the 2011-12 year. Gray Crouse announced that the 2012 Distinguished Faculty Lecture would take place on February 6, and an announcement of the presenter is forthcoming. Speaking as chair of the Faculty Counselors to the Board of Trustees, Steve Everett introduced this year’s roster (found at this link). Pat Marsteller, co-chairing the Faculty Life Course Committee with Michael Kutner of public health, described plans to examine various faculty mentoring initiatives around campus. Ken Anderson of the Oxford faculty, chairing the Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee, described efforts to review school-based assessment plans and develop best practices that shape the culture of assessment at Emory, in particular examining the university’s strategic plan with a view to learning outcomes. Doug Bowman, chair of the University Research Committee, discussed its small, short-term research grants to Emory faculty, with attention to reaching out to junior faculty, tracking results, and external publicity for funded projects.

Joint Session with Senate on Student Arrests

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On September 20, the Faculty Council and the University Senate held their first meeting of the 2011-12 academic year as a single joint session devoted entirely to the allegations of Students and Workers in Solidarity (SWS) about subcontracted worker mistreatment against the Sodexo food service provider at Emory and the arrest of several students protesting on the Quad on April 25, 2011. Representatives from Sodexo, SWS, and the Emory administra- tion each spoke, followed by a question-and-answer period with the Senate. Two representa- tives from Sodexo, Tom Mackall, Vice President for Employee and Corporate Relations, and Joe Mitchell, the district manager who oversees the Emory contract, spoke in defense of the corporation’s international human rights record and its employee relations on this campus. “We are recognized as an industry leader in creating a great place to work . . . ,” Mackall said. “Our employee retention rates are far above industry norms.”

Next to speak was Eric Bymaster, assistant vice president of finance and operations in Emory’s Campus Life division, detailing a response to SWS’s allegations and demands relating to Sodexo, including clarifications of contract employee hearing mechanisms, transportation access, and due diligence in reviewing contracted vendors’ human rights records. “We are sat- isfied with the overall comprehensive package of benefits that Sodexo provides its employees,” he added. “It’s not only competitive in the market but it’s affordable for their employees.”

Several members of SWS then presented statements. Meghan Jordan, an Emory College student, read from testimonials said to be provided by Sodexo workers on campus. She read from a testimonial she said was from Ms. Clara Greene: “ ‘I earn $10.50 an hour and have worked at Emory for four years. I have nothing to save after bills and health insurance. I don’t know how I’m going to pay for car insurance and get a tag and groceries.’ ” Jordan added, “The crux of this issue is the administration’s tendency to dehumanize the issue and instead present it as an issue of retention rates and other quantitative data.”

University President James Wagner followed with an update on the student arrests, explaining that Emory had offered to seek dismissal of the charges if the charged students would agree to honor university policy on use of facilities and grounds and not to initiate civil proceedings against the university. That offer, he said, still stands.

Following the Q&A, Faculty Council/University Senate Chair Brownfield announced the formation of an ad hoc committee to further examine and make recommendations to the Senate on whether the University should continue its contract with Sodexo.

 

Faculty Voice in Governance Structures

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In 2010-2011, the Council worked to improve faculty representation in administrative and governance structures around campus. As a result, Council representatives were appointed to the Business Process Improvement Governing Board, an effort to improve campuswide administrative efficiency and productivity led by the Office of the Associate Vice President for Administration. Also, the Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee, initially appointed by Provost Earl Lewis to provide faculty oversight of the university’s assessment plans, became an open-ended ad-hoc committee of the Council. And finally, a new Faculty Advisory Committee was formed to offer guidance for the executive vice president for finance and administration on potential changes in practice and policy and in areas of focus that support faculty work, and to serve as a communication channel between the finance division and the faculty. This committee will include at least three members of the current Council.